In popular series such as Beverly Lewis’ Seasons of Grace, Wanda Brunstetter’s Indiana Cousins and Cindy Woodsmall’s Sisters of the Quilt,the Amish fall in love while grappling with religious taboos and forbidden temptations.

For these authors, “pushing the envelope means writing about an unmarried Amish woman letting her hair down in front of a man.” And while the Amish may not technically be magical, they do give readers a time-travel-type feeling with their old-fashioned ways.